The Witch of The Season
by Earth Star
Summary: The guardians are asked to help at North's shop the last month before Christmas and Jack ends up meeting a "friend" of North's.


Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters and I don't want to make any profit from writing this story.

**The Witch of The Season**

Jack grumbled as he climbed to the top shelf in the closet. "Which paint did we need again?"

"Pink and yellow for the dolls, and red for the fire trucks!" Bunny called from down the hall. "And hurry up, we should be done them by now!"

"Yeah, yeah, keep your ears on!" Jack sighed. He had always dreamed of being in North's shop so close to Christmas and even helping make the toys. Jack was thrilled when North asked the guardians for emergency assistance. It felt like a secret dream had come true. He just never imagined it would be this stressful.

Nothing was going right. First Jack dropped a bag of snow globes, then painted the eyes wrong on the nutcrackers, and lastly having to save the elves from being electrocuted from the toy trains. This was so not what he'd been imagining.

North insisted, this was not normal for the shop during the last month before Christmas. It was busy, but usually fun. Course it wasn't every day that half of the Yeti crew would get struck down by bad colds and had to stay in bed. That was the thing Jack couldn't wrap his mind around. How did a Yeti even get a cold?

He shook his head, and grabbed the large bottles of paint. There was no time to think about that now. If he didn't get back, Bunny was going to yell his ear off again. He jumped down and was about to rush back, when he heard the loud door bell go off.

Jack glanced over the railing. Someone was at the door? Who could it be? Bunny was already here, Sandy was in the candy room and Tooth was busy making teddy bears. Who else could it be?

Phil grunted and opened the spy glass that let him see who was on the other side. Jack smirked. He knew this scenario from experience. Phil would peek, see the intruder and "politely" ask the person to go away if they wanted all their bones to not be broken.

Jack had not expected to hear Phil suddenly gasp and quickly scramble to open the door. Curious at this reaction, Jack set the bottles on the floor and made it downstairs just as the cold wind from outside entered.

A laughing old woman riding a broom stick flew in and landed. She removed her thick pair of goggles. "Thank you, Phil," she greeted and climbed off broom. "Later, let's have arm wrestling match." She winked. "I'll bet you beat me this time."

Phil grunted a nod as he went to shut the heavy door. Jack tried to be quiet as he slowly approached her.

She was a short and plump woman with long grey hair that was tied into a braid that hung over her shoulder. A tall pointed witch hat sat on her head and had bells sewn along the edge that jingled when she moved. Jack couldn't also noticed a dagger hanging of her belt as she brushed the snow off her cape.

As the woman took her broom in hand and set it against the wall, she then noticed Jack. She gave a yelp of excitement. "You must be, Jack Frost!"

Before Jack could move the woman rushed over and lovingly pinch his cheek like a grandmother. "You look like strong boy!" She then frowned as she looked Jack over. "But, you are so thin." She huffed disapprovingly. "Not right for young boys to be made of skin and bones."

Jack was about to ask how "300 years" can considered to be young, but a shout from Bunny cut him off.

"Oh, crickey!" Bunny moaned as he came down the stairs. "Befana, what the blazes are you doing here?"

Befana smiled like an imp and folded her arms. "North asked for extra help, so here I am."

Bunny growled. "He's got enough help with us guardians, and with my help alone-"

"Bah!" Befana shook her finger and laughed. "You are the Easter Bunny, what do you know? We are not painting eggs."

Bunny growled, but Jack cut in. "Wait," he said slowly. "Who is this?"

Bunny blinked and then rubbed his ears. "Right, sorry Mate, forgot you haven't met." He non-chantly gestured to Befana. "Jack, meet Befana, she's a witch from Italy."

The gears in Jack's brain were finally working. "Oh, wait," and looked to her. "You're that witch that delivers toys to kids, like North?"

Befana nodded. "That is right, but unlike North, I have extra time to spare since I do not take on whole world." She smiled at Jack. "North told me all about you, Guardian of Fun." She slapped his shoulder merrily. "Good for you, I can tell you have strong spirit." Befana whispered in Jack's ear. "And we need joyful spirits to keep crab bunny on toes."

"I can hear you," Bunny mumbled.

"Befana!" The group turned as North waved from the top of the stairs. "I thought I heard your broom stick outside, my love."

Jack blinked. "My love?"

"So glad you could make on such short notice," North continued either not noticing or ignoring Jack's face of confusion.

Befana laughed and she began to climb the stairs. "And miss showing you up in making toys? I wouldn't pass up on that, sweetie"

"S-sweetie?!" Jack muttered as he check to make sure he wasn't going deaf.

"Come," North said and offered Befana his arm. "I know Tooth could use your help with teddy bears."

Befana suddenly turned and waved at Jack. "Later, I will cook for you. I have a rabbit stew recipe that will fatten you right up!"

"I can still hear you!" Bunny snapped.

"You were suppose to."

Bunny cursed under his breath. "Fantastic, now we got two of them." Bunny then turned to Jack and noticed his jaw was hanging open. "Something wrong, mate?"

Jack swallowed and tapped his foot. "Um...Bunny...are those two...a thing?"

"A thing?" Bunny muttered confused, but then said "Oh." as he understood Jack's meaning. "Yeah, mate, those two have an on and off relationship." He gave a half grin. "Haven't you wondered where that Mrs. Claus myth came from?"

"Not until now," Jack replied.

Bunny patted him on the shoulder. "Yeah, well our job will be making sure they don't break out the egg nog if we want to get anything done."

Jack raised as eyebrow as Bunny began to head up the stairs. "What happens if you bring out the egg nog?"

Bunny paused on the stairs and turned slowly. " 'Fraid you're a bit young to know about that, mate."

* * *

_Author's Note: The witch Befana is actually a story from Italy. If you google "La Befana" you can get more details, but basically on the eve of Janurary 5th it's said she rides her broom stick and delivers presents to good children. Sound familiar? She's basically a female witch version of Santa and I've always love this story and I think she would fit perfectly in the Rise of the Guardian universe._


End file.
